Interview with Steve Manktelow

We caught up with Steve Manktelow, Owner and Director at GOAT Chelsea.

WE ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE VIRTUAL COCKTAIL CLASSES YOU RUN, CAN YOU TELL OUR READERS HOW THEY CAME ABOUT?

We’d been doing cocktail classes for about 8 years at our previous venue, we had no plans of introducing these during lockdown until a friend called us and asked to help cure their boredom…

VIRTUAL COCKTAIL CLASSES ARE POPPING UP EVERYWHERE, WHICH WE LOVE TO SEE, WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM YOUR CLASSES?

All our classes follow a theme ranging from focusing on a particular spirit, to Drinking with Hemingway and Sinking Drinks on the Titanic. We tell cocktail stories alongside the drink making and do our best to dive into fascinating tangential tales connected to the drinks. These are wildly varying in nature and one class can jump from why £43 million was a snip for a 19 second product placement, how salt improves a Negroni to who got Bond drinking martini’s.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHERE YOU GO WHEN LOCKDOWN RESTRICTIONS ARE LIFTED, ARE YOU WORKING ON ANYTHING NEW?

Our plan is to continue these classes, they’ve proven to be a great way for distanced people to have a fun night in. To be able to have a drink with friends or colleagues based in other countries, or just spread around the UK via these classes cuts down on a lot of travel hassle. We will also be running in person classes in various locations in London.

BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN?

“The average host, who makes no pretence of being an expert on cocktails, can get along very nicely with a knowledge of how to mix a half-dozen good cocktails. In fact, if he or she can make only two or three and always makes them well, they will stand much higher in the regard of their friends.” – David Embury.

IS THERE ONE COCKTAIL CLASS THAT YOU’VE DONE SO FAR THAT STANDS OUT? WHAT WAS IT THAT MADE IT SO MEMORABLE?

Connecting to 297 screens and 700+ people on one of our public classes was amazing, the buzz of people made it feel like a bar. In over the last few months we’ve managed to establish an online community of people that return to these classes meaning our home bar has ‘regulars’ a plenty. Catching up with these people every two weeks has made our lockdown feel a ton more social than Boris has been trying to engineer.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAVOURITE COCKTAIL?

A Daiquiri, total simplicity both from the flavours and the number of ingredients, which means this is easy to both find ingredients for and make, and is always a crowd pleaser.

IF YOU HAD A FREE DAY IN LONDON TO DO WHATEVER YOU WANT, NO LIMITS, WHERE WOULD YOU GO?

For a 5-star hotel bar crawl, starting with White Lady’s at the Savoy….

To book tickets for a cocktail class visit: https://goatchelsea.com

#cocktailclasses #goat #SteveManktelow